Top 5 foods that our ancestors used to store for the winter

Our ancestors used to prepare very carefully for the onset of winter. Only by preparing a lot of food could they survive this period without starvation. We still do food preparation, preparing various canned and frozen foods, but it used to be completely different.

FoodOboz presents the top 5 foods that our ancestors most often prepared for the winter. They allowed them to survive and feed the whole family.

Cereals

Rye, wheat, barley, corn, buckwheat, millet, oats, and other cereals were real lifesavers. The availability of certain cereals directly depended on the family's income. They were used to prepare various porridges.

Herbs and flowers

Flowers and herbs collected annually were dried and enjoyed throughout the winter as very tasty and healthy teas. They kept you warm in the cold and significantly boosted your immune system. In addition, small bouquets could be hung near stoves and used for cooking. Thyme was added to meat dishes, steppe sage was added to create the flavor of ukha, and dried basil could give a special taste to pies or winter salads.

Vegetables

The vegetables that our ancestors most often harvested for the winter can be easily identified by the ingredients of a vinaigrette salad. Beans, pickled cucumbers and cabbage, beets, carrots, potatoes, and green peas were present in every family.

Fruits and berries

Fruits and berries could be dried, salted, fermented, and even dried or smoked. In any case, in winter, people received a wonderful supply of vitamin foods that they used to prepare meals and maintain their immunity.

Oil

Oil was made from hemp, flax, and poppy seeds. In more recent times, sunflower oil was also used. Mustard and vinegar could also be added to the oil and used to dress salads, for example, the same vinaigrette salad.

Meat and dairy products

Salting meat, bacon, and fish was a traditional way to preserve food in the winter. They were soaked in salt, then drained and stored in a cold place. This made the food dried and sometimes it could not even be heat-treated.

The situation with dairy products was somewhat worse. Only in western Ukraine did people have the opportunity to make brine cheeses that could be stored for a whole year.